BLOOMINGTON, IND. — The mother of missing college student Lauren Spierer paused for a moment, tears welling up in her eyes as she gave a different answer to a question she’s been asked numerous times since last June — do you believe your daughter is alive?

“I don’t,” she said softly.

Charlene Spierer revealed her change of perspective in the first interview she and her husband, Robert, have given in months, as they returned to Bloomington as the one-year anniversary of their daughter’s disappearance nears.

“We’re trying to be realistic,” Robert Spierer said. “We know that if she had the chance to reach out to us, she would have done it.”

Still, they’re pushing forward with their effort to find their daughter, take her home and bring justice to whoever was responsible.

Some of the people she hung out with that night remain persons of interest in the ongoing criminal investigation, and the young woman’s parents continue to question their truthfulness — even after their private investigator interviewed a couple of them.

“I feel if she never met Corey Rossman, she’d be alive today,” Robert Spierer said of one of the students she was with that night. “His claim of memory loss is laughable.”

“He’s a perfect example of someone who only cares about self-preservation, without any thought for another human being,” he added. ::snipping2::

Lauren Spierer case: Robert Spierer says a person of interest in his daughter's disappearance is 'a liar and a coward'Parents of missing student believe daughter is no longer alive12:25 PM, Apr. 24, 2012

BLOOMINGTON, IND. — The father of missing college student Lauren Spierer has reached a conclusion about Corey Rossman after an exhaustive investigation by police and his family’s own private investigators. He told The Journal News in an exclusive interview:

“I think he’s a liar and a coward,” Robert Spierer said of the Indiana University senior, whose lawyer says his client has no memory of his final interactions with the 20-year-old. ::snipping2::Rosenbaum, who was the last person to report seeing her, is another person of interest. Earlier that night, he hosted a party that Spierer and Rossman attended. He later joined them at Kilroy’s, according to her parents. When she showed up at Rosenbaum’s place again, he said, he tried to get her to sleep over on his couch, but let her leave after she showed she could walk.

The Spierers met with Rosenbaum in the fall, and had a private detective interview him. But they came away with the same impression they had before — that Rosenbaum is withholding information. ::snipping2::Nearly all of the persons of interest will graduate in the spring.

“I initially felt we were up against the clock, but I don’t feel there’s a deadline on a person’s conscience,” Robert Spierer said. “I’m less concerned about them leaving Bloomington than I was initially.”

(CBS) - The parents of Lauren Spierer, a Indiana University student who went missing last June, say they no longer believe their daughter is alive.

Pictures: Lauren Spierer

Robert and Charlene Spierer returned to Bloomington, Ind. this week, where they spoke with The Journal News, a local newspaper from just outside New York City, where the Spierer family is from.

When asked during the interview if she believed her daughter was still alive, Charlene Spierer responded, "I don't."

"We're trying to be realistic. We know that if she had the chance to reach out to us, she would have done it," Robert Spierer went on to tell the paper. ::snipping2:: Spierer's parents also said they were frustrated with what they see as a lack of cooperation from two IU students, Jay Rosenbaum and Corey Rossman, who were reportedly with her the night she went missing.

Robert Spierer asked the parents of the two students to "take their sons to the police station and allow for the law enforcement to (perform) polygraphs."

Although most of the persons of interest in the case will graduate in the spring, Robert Spierer told the paper that there is no "deadline on a person's conscience."

BLOOMINGTON, IND. — The father of missing college student Lauren Spierer is haunted by the possibility that whoever is behind his daughter’s disappearance is reading this story or watching the video featured on LoHud.com.

So with tempered anger, Robert Spierer turned to the camera and spoke directly to that person or people in hopes they will finally come forward and ease his family's pain.

“We need compassion, we need caring, we need humanity,” he said. “We just need a shred of feeling to help us find our daughter and get closure.”

In an exclusive interview, he told The Journal News, “We’ve begged, we’ve pleaded. We don’t know how else to say it. But we need your help and, whatever you need, whatever you want, we’ll do to get our daughter back.”

Tie Bloomington in Blue for Lauren SpiererEvent for Voices For Lauren Spierer · By Shelly Leonard.Thursday, May 3, 2012.

4:00pm in EDT.let's meet at Smallwood

By now, everyone recognizes Lauren's poster, her face, and her information. I would like to do something new to spark interest in her case and hopefully encourage the truth from those that know what happened. I would like to tie blue ribbons around the trees and possibly the sign posts in Bloomington. Light Blue has become the signature color of Lauren Spierer so we will be using light blue ribbon. I will provide some ribbon but if everyone attending could bring blue ribbon and scissors as well then we will be able to cover more areas. I would suggest wide ribbon so that it is sturdier and more visible on the trees. If we do get thinner ribbon we can possibly use that for smaller trees or signposts. Make sure it is light blue. This will be a joint effort from the groups Where is Lauren Spierer AND Voices for Lauren Spierer. #findLauren ::snipping2::

The department on Thursday said a detective has been assigned to inquire with New Albany investigators about the Clyde Gibson case.

Indiana University student Lauren Spierer, 21, disappeared after a night out with friends in June. Bloomington Police officials say there’s no indication that Gibson may be tied to Spierer’s disappearance.

“We view this as the responsible thing to do as part of our ongoing investigation and it is much like the inquiries we make on unidentified bodies that become known to us from other jurisdictions,” Bloomington Police Capt. Joe Qualters said in a written statement. ”We are certainly interested in anyone who comes to the attention of law enforcement for targeting women as victims.” ::snipping2::

How could a year have passed so quickly? Lauren, you are in our hearts every minute of every day. We remain committed to finding the answers, which will bring you home. We will never stop looking for you. All our love always, Mom, Dad and Rebecca

Consider the possibility that the person you are with today holds the key to unlock this mystery. Consider the possibility that the person you are with today is responsible for Lauren’s disappearance. Anything Small Could be Big. Make the call. Hoping today is the day.

NDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - As the one year anniversary of Lauren Spierer’s disappearance nears, the group advocating for the Indiana University student is asking people to submit photos for posters.

The website created for updates on the Spierer case announced the project on Friday. It’s being called an online photo project. ::snipping2::Organizers hope to get 100 posters made. As of Monday morning, around a dozen had been created.

People interested in taking part are asked to submit photos by tweeting using the hashtag #FindLauren or emailing them to newsonlaurens@gmail.com . The photos can be anything that remind the person of Lauren Spierer.

NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- Federal investigators think a Southern Indiana man may be a serial killer.

They’re ramping up a multijurisdictional investigation. Investigators say William Gibson is behind at least three murders.Police looking into missing IU student Lauren Spierer's case have been closely monitoring it to see if there's a connection.

Nearly a year after missing Indiana University student Lauren Spierer disappeared, authorities are looking into whether multiple murder suspect William Clyde Gibson was involved in the 21-year-old blonde's disappearance.

While Bloomington, Ind., police will investigate whether Gibson, 54, is tied to Spierer's June 2011 disappearance, they're not optimistic that there will be a connection, the Journal News reported.

"We have no indication that there is any connection to Lauren's case, but we are certainly interested in anyone who comes to the attention of law enforcement for targeting women as victims," Bloomington police Capt. Joseph Qualters said. "That is the sole purpose for the inquiry." ::snipping2::

Police: Several 'credible tips' received weekly in Lauren Spierer casePolice said the investigation is still "very active" and several "credible" tips come in on a weekly basis.

The Bloomington Police Department released a statement Thursday, just days before the one year anniversary of the disappearance of Indiana University student Lauren Spierer.

Police said the investigation is still “very active” and several “credible” tips come in on a weekly basis. They stated the tips include information that has obvious relevance or correlation to information already known to investigators.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A year ago this morning, Indiana University student Lauren Spierer walked around the corner of 11th Street and College Avenue and was never seen again.

The last 366 days have seen an unprecedented collective effort to find her. Volunteer searchers sometimes numbered a thousand a day. Professional searchers -- local, county, university, state and federal law enforcement officers -- devoted untold hours to the cause. The Indiana State Police, not even the lead agency in the hunt, deployed 192 officers who spent 1,332 hours searching for Spierer.

Where Is Lauren Spierer?Police are searching for Indiana University student Lauren Spierer, who disappeared June 3, 2011. Spierer, a 20-year-old fashion merchandising major, was last seen walking toward her apartment complex in downtown Bloomington. ::snipping2::

Do the young men who last saw Spierer alive know her fate? Or did she fall victim to a stranger abduction as she walked in the dark, alone and inebriated, a short distance toward her home?

Bo Dietl, a New York-based private investigator hired by the Spierer family, said “all options remain on the table.”

“At this point, no one has been eliminated,” Deitl told FoxNews.com. “Everyone is still a suspect as far as knowing what happened to Lauren.”

Robert Spierer and his wife, Charlene, say they believe the group of male students – including Rossman’s roommate, Mike Beth – know more than what they’ve told investigators.

“Obviously we don’t feel they’ve done everything in their power to be of assistance to us,” Robert Spierer said. ::snipping2::Last August, the FBI scoured the Sycamore Ridge Landfill in Pimento for any clues in the case. Authorities are also probing a possible connection between Spierer and accused serial killer William Clyde Gibson, a 54-year-old convicted sex offender linked to the deaths of at least three women more than 100 miles away. The remains of one of the victims – 35-year-old mother Stephanie Kirk – were found buried in the backyard of Gibson’s home in New Albany, Ind. Police have so far determined no connection between Spierer and Gibson.

Video at Link

« Last Edit: June 03, 2012, 08:41:58 AM by MuffyBee »

Logged

" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

Who’s who in the Lauren Spierer case, then and nowJune 3, 2012, last update: 6/3 @ 4:03 pm

::snipping2::Each young man is considered a person of interest in the case, though not named publicly by police. None of the men have been cleared by police, and none responded to emails from The Herald-Times.

The men and their attorneys

Jesse Wolff, 22, of Port Washington, N.Y.

Then: He was Spierer’s boyfriend of two years. Spierer was still in Bloomington at the start of last summer because she was waiting for Wolff to finish his summer class at IU. The two had planned to travel home to the East Coast together.

Now: Wolff graduated from IU in December 2011 after studying management at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

The Spierers haven’t spoken with Wolff since September, but say he met with the private investigators they hired from New York City’s Beau Dietl & Associates.

Joe Lozano, Wolff’s attorney

Then: Lozano said Wolff called Spierer’s parents to let them know their daughter was missing and spoke to police before hiring a lawyer.

Now: He maintains that his client has always cooperated: “Like everyone else, we want the case to be solved and we want her to be found.”

David Rohn, 20, of New York, N.Y.

Then: Rohn knew Spierer through Smallwood, and was part of a group that attended the 2011 Indianapolis 500 with her.

Now: Rohn will be a senior at IU in the fall, studying recreational sport management at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

Ron Chapman, Bloomington attorney who consulted with Rohn

Then: Chapman said Rohn cooperated with police early in the investigation. Chapman confirmed Rohn received a phone call at 4:15 a.m. Friday, June 3, 2011, but did not answer it.

Now: Chapman said he talked to Rohn briefly about six months ago. He said Rohn met with the Spierers’ private investigators for more than two hours and “extensively” answered all of their questions and that he passed a polygraph examination administered by the FBI in New York City.

Chapman said he still doesn’t know who called Rohn at 4:15 that morning.

Mike Beth, 21, of Morganville, N.J.

Then: Corey Rossman’s roommate at 5 North Townhomes. He was part of the group that attended the 2011 Indianapolis 500 with Spierer.

On the night of her disappearance, Spierer visited with Beth at his apartment. His attorney said that Beth was home writing papers for class.

Now: Beth graduated from IU in May. He studied telecommunication, business and marketing for telecommunications.

Chapman is also Beth’s attorney

Then: Chapman said Beth was interviewed by police and provided DNA samples to authorities.

Now: Chapman said he talked to Beth about six months ago, and that he passed a polygraph examination conducted by a private company.

Chapman said he thinks he’s done serving in a legal capacity for both Beth and Rohn. “I think my involvement’s finished. They don’t need the legal advice from anyone anymore,” he said. “I think they’ve cooperated to the fullest extent they could.”

Corey Rossman, 22, of Sharon, Mass.

Then: Video surveillance footage showed Spierer leaving her apartment building for a night out and returning to Smallwood with Rossman, who reported he got into an altercation, but said he doesn’t remember what happened. The two then left Smallwood, and went through an alley to 5 North Townhomes and visited Rossman’s apartment.

Now: Rossman will be a senior in the fall at IU, studying real estate finance at the Kelley School of Business. He does not have an expected graduation date set because “he has moved off his original timetable,” university spokesman Mark Land said.

The Spierers have never spoken with Rossman. Charlene Spierer refuses to. And Robert Spierer has called his account of the night “laughable.”

Carl Salzmann, Rossman’s attorney

Then: Salzmann and Rossman met with Bloomington police the afternoon of June 10.

Now: Salzmann reports he has not had much contact with Rossman in the past several months. Concerning the report of the altercation at Smallwood: “I think the police know exactly who did it. Apparently, lots of people have seen the tape. We’ve never been shown it.”

Jason “Jay” Rosenbaum, 21, of West Bloomfield, Mich.

Then: Rosenbaum lived two doors down from Rossman and Beth at 5 North Townhomes. Rosenbaum said he last saw Spierer at the corner of 11th and College about 4:30 a.m. Friday, June 3.

The Spierers have spoken directly to Rosenbaum during a meeting with attorneys in the fall. The Spierers asked Rosenbaum to give his account of that night. They say the information he provided didn’t help them. Rosenbaum has also met with the Spierers’ private investigators.

Now: Rosenbaum graduated from IU in May after studying at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

James Voyles and Jennifer Lukemeyer, Rosenbaum’s attorneys

Then: Issued a statement on June 27, saying Rosenbaum has cooperated and continues to cooperate with police and passed a polygraph, which has also been provided to investigators.

Now: The attorneys did not return phone calls or emails from The Herald-Times. ::snipping2::

::snipping2::On the night she vanished, Lauren Spierer’s eye was starting to blacken, she had smacked her skull, lost her keys, her shoes, her cellphone and her ID, and had to be carried up the street on the back of a guy she had met just a week earlier who told friends he had designs on her. ::snipping2::One year later, police and private investigators hired by Spierer’s parents continue to scrutinize the statements and actions of friends who interacted with her before her disappearance, and they’re taking no one at their word.

“The last thing we have is her allegedly, and we use the word ‘allegedly,’ leaving that apartment,” said lead private investigator Bo Dietl, a former New York City detective whose firm has had three investigators working the case since last summer.Based on extensive interviews by the Journal News with witnesses, family members and the private investigators, a darker picture has emerged about how debilitated Spierer was that night and how common the culture of drug use and extreme drinking was in her social scene. All of it serves to make the failure of anyone to help in those final hours more glaring. ::snipping2::